The survey was conducted by taking a random sample of 1,293 households throughout the city and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8%. When compared to cities with populations of over 250,000, Austin ranked particularly high for its "overall quality of customer service provided by city employees." The city also ranked highly for the condition of its streets, the condition of its public areas and for being a great place to raise children.

"Austin is setting the standard for performance among large U.S. cities," the ETC Institute concluded within its report. "The high ratings indicate that the City has done an excellent job of prioritizing city services based on the needs of the community."

Some of the surveys results include:

• 90% of respondents felt the city was a good place to live
• 85% gave public safety services, which includes the timeliness of response from the Austin Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services, high ratings
• More than 75% gave the services at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport high rankings
• More than 75% gave high rankings to the drinking water at the Austin Water Utility
• More than 75% gave high rankings to the programs and facilities offered through the Parks and Recreation Department

Other areas where the city scored above average include the condition of the streets, customer service provided by city employees and the general cleanliness of the city.